LAHORE: Federation of All Pakistan Universities Association Punjab (FAPUAP) has decided to launch a major protest movement against the HED Punjab & Punjab Government with the help of all the teaching and non-teaching organizations of all public sector universities.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, the General Secretary of Punjab Dr Ahtisham Ali, President PUASA Prof. Dr. Azhar Naeem , Secretary PUASA Dr. Amjad Abbas Magsi said that HED Punjab is persistent try obstructing the autonomy of public sector Universities and depriving them of their basic rights. They interpreted that in the struggle and

the negotiation process for special/disparity allowance by FAPUASA Punjab, it has always been absolutely clear that the special allowance must be issued from June 1, 2021, after the approval of the Cabinet Committee.

That is why in the minutes of the SCCFD issued on November 15, 2021, the release date of this allowance for the universities was mentioned as June 1, which was in line with the demand of all public sector universities. Now suddenly HED has rendered the date of issuance of allowance conditional to the date of approval from the Governor of Punjab through an explanatory letter written to the Finance Department.

It needs to be highlighted that after the strenuous efforts of FAPUASA Punjab Government has permitted universities to give 25% special allowance to universities but during all this struggle HED has played a very controversial and negative role from day one and has made every effort to curb the autonomy of the universities by misusing their powers.

They added that a section officer level official of HED stops the letter of worthy vice-chancellors for about one month nobody can ask him now the HED deprived thousands of employees of the arrears by issuing a single notification. FAPUASA Punjab strongly condemns these heinous acts and a new strategy will be announced after the meeting of the Executive Council of FAPUASA Punjab.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022